Protection issues rising for Green River trout

Should the world-famous Green River trout fishery, shown here, be placed in jeopardy?

The battle to take water from the Green River trout fishery never seems to end. The latest attempt is by a man named Aaron Million who seeks water for the Front Range of Colorado.

His application for such a pipeline has been declined several times "pending more answers." But the question is: how can anything be allowed to mar the great lake trout fishery of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the brown/rainbow Valhalla of the Green River? Now or in the future.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says a study made in 2003 shows the Gorge area supported 538,462 angler hours with an estimated value to the region of $15 million. (It would be worth much more today.) The aesthetic value for visitors and fishermen, admittedly difficult to measure, was not given?but quite obviously, the Green River is one of the nation's premiere Blue Ribbon trout fisheries.

Trina Hedrick, DWR aquatics manager in Vernal, emphasizes that the state is concerned not only about the Green River's quality trout fishing but the protection of downstream endangered fish species. If too much water is siphoned off the Green above Flaming Gorge, too little can be released for the health of many native species downstream from the dam.

In addition, major fluctuations on the lake means changes in shoreline vegetation which can affect both fisheries and wildlife values. A drought year with heavy drawdown could reduce kokanee salmon spawning by 40 per cent, according to DWR figures. The kokanee are a valuable resource of their own as well as a main forage fish for the reservoir's world famous lake trout fishery.

Then, too, waterfowl wetlands managed by the state of Utah can be adversely affected below Flaming Gorge. An Environmental Impact Statement must assess degree of impact in a lowered water supply. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers will then examine potential losses to this wetland as well as the entire eco-system.

I can say from dozens of personal visits to both lake and river that there is no more revered fishing water in the nation than the Green River. Both it and Flaming Gorge draw anglers from around the world. Daggett and Uintah Counties would be seriously impacted with degredation of these resources. Millions of visitors to the northeastern corner of Utah and southern Wyoming would be adversely affected by Million's proposal.

A cost/benefit ratio will be factored in as usual but I've found that these can be manipulated by underestimating costs and placing less weight on quality of life values. And even if the initial project is denied, we can expect additional proposals with a new approach. In the Central Utah Project, when opposition was raised, we were told that Salt Lake County might have no culinary water. Thirst to death? In retrospect, hardly. But that was the sales pitch.

Some Southern Utahns want a pipeline from Lake Powell to the Sand Hollow area. Will the Colorado River flow be there every year when we become dependent upon it? Do proponents have the figures to prove water cannot be obtained from any other source? Do we need to do a better job of conserving what we have?

Likewise, Las Vegas wants spring and underground water from the Utah/Nevada border region. Will western water law allow endangering the time-honored tradition of "first in use, first in right." Can ground water and wells keeping ranchers in business be sacrificed for more night life in Las Vegas?

But back to the Green River. If Mr. Million wants more water for development along the Front Range of Colorado, why rob Utah/Wyoming to get it? Maybe the answer is for a dam on some river in Colorado. Why take water from those who are already so bountifully benefitting from it?

Besides, from a utilitarian outlook, we must remember that the Green River feeds Lake Powell and the lower Colorado River compact users. If any massive amount of water is diverted from the Green anywhere along its route, downstream users will be the losers.

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Protection issues rising for Green River trout

The battle to take water from the Green River trout fishery never seems to end. The latest attempt is by a man named Aaron Million who seeks water for the Front Range of Colorado.